CSU

Colorado State's Kelsey Snider gets an insider's view

Internship gives senior an idea how program works

By Mike Brohard

Sports Editor

Posted:
06/24/2014 08:19:43 PM MDT

Colorado State volleyball player Kelsey Snider works in the team office on Tuesday, coordinating team travel as part of her internship in the volleyball offices to close out her degree and Health and Exercise Science. (Jenny Sparks / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

FORT COLLINS — On the court, Kelsey Snider knows how things work.

As a junior, the Colorado State middle blocker earned all-Mountain West honors after averaging 2.60 kills and 1.04 blocks per set, hitting at a .365 clip during the season. But like most of her teammates, she had no idea what really went on behind the scenes of the most successful program at the school.

As she said, she knew the tickets for the flight were there, the bus always had gas, the meals were ready and a conference room was set up when the Rams hit the road.

Now she knows why, because she is closing out her degree in Health and Exercise Science by doing a 600-hour internship this summer and through the season in the volleyball offices.

"It is very cool. As a player you never realize how much you have to do and what goes on behind the scenes," Snider said Tuesday while working on travel schedules. "You kind of figure it just happens, but there's a lot of work that goes into it. It's been pretty eye-opening, especially how far in advance you have to get everything set up, so that when the time comes, it actually goes smoothly."

It was an internship that was originally going to be done by former player Sam Peters, until she decided on a business path. Knowing Snider was in the program, head coach Tom Hilbert kept Snider in mind, and Snider jumped at the chance.

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Part of her thinking was exploring her options. She said corporate wellness has always been an option, but she wasn't sure that was the exact path for her to follow. This internship gives her other options to consider.

In the end, Hilbert knows the venture has been positive for both sides.

"It's valuable for both of us. We can use the help on the operations side, for sure," he said. "I've also been asking her as we make decisions more questions from a player's perspective, because we don't know that. She's able to share opinion with us in that area. I think it's really valuable for her."

Kelsey Snider earned all-Mountain West honors as a junior in 2013 as a middle blocker, averaging 2.60 kills per set while hitting at a .365 clip and averaging 1.04 blocks per set. (STEVE STONER / Loveland Reporter-Herald)

For instance, they sought her input when it came to travel and what players want. On the flip side, Snider has learned what all goes into setting up a road trip and it's not as simple as logging on to a website and clicking the prettiest picture or lowest rate.

As Snider was working on her computer, a thick notebook sat to her left. In it were some of the team's travel plans for the upcoming season, some pieces finished, some still on hold.

She will send an email to the person who helps book travel, listing flights and times the team has targeted as ideal. Then there is contacting hotels to see if they are available and if they have a conference room to use for team meetings and study halls. Even if all of that falls into place perfectly, they have to be checked off by the staff and the purchasing department at the school.

As she learned, it can be an exhausting process, but it gives her an understanding on how those decisions are made.

"Sometimes we have to bus a long way. Why do we have to bus? Well, it's probably cheaper, or it will get us home earlier and that we can have a solid day off instead of getting back at noon and having a half a day," Snider said. "There's a lot of thinking that goes behind it, and now I get to see that part."

She'll also be doing some social networking when she, teammate Marlee Reynolds and other players from the conference tour Europe as part of an All-Star team next month. She went to the Mountain West offices Monday to meet with officials about that, allowing her to extend her networking.

After that break, she'll be back in the offices helping out the volleyball staff set up the upcoming season, but her internship won't end there. During the season, she'll continue helping the rest of the coaching staff, including tasks on the road.

The fact this is her last class helps, but Hilbert will keep in mind her contribution on the court will take priority for him and the Rams.

"She doesn't have any studying to do, which is good," Hilbert said. "We're not going to make her stay up late, things like that that will physically affect her. She'll get right down to it, and she'll order pre-game meals, because she has a nutrition background."

If anything, Snider joked she now has an appreciation for checklists. She gets a list of tasks to do each day from Bri Olmstead, the director of volleyball operations, so based on that, Snider said she feels like she has been very productive in the office.

Even if this doesn't lead her to the same type of job, Snider said it will be beneficial to her down the road.

"I don't really want a desk job. I'm more of an active-kind of person," she said. "But if a future job requires me to do some of this stuff, this is a great way to learn to work with different people and make sure things work in a way that makes sense."

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